Scottish Executive

Adoption

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for adoption of children have been granted in each year since 1999 and what the average age of child adopted was in each year.

Euan Robson: The figures requested were published by the Scottish Executive on 18 March 2003 see http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00243-00.asp)

Alcohol Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support, and assist the expansion of, Alcohol Focus Scotland and its affiliated agencies.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive values the important contribution of Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS) and its affiliated agencies in reducing alcohol-related harm in Scotland. In recognition of that contribution we have been making increasing levels of core funding available to AFS to support its activities. In the current financial year, 2003-04, £228,000 has been made available under section 16b of the NHS (Scotland) Act 1978 and this will be increased further to £243,000 in 2004-05. This represents an uplift of some 47% over the last four years.

  In addition, funding of £30,000 in 2003-04 and in 2004-05 is being made available to AFS under section 9 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1978 towards the costs of a counsellor training scheme for the network of local councils on alcohol.

  The Executive has also recently commissioned an independent review to examine AFS’s performance in providing value for money in relation the funding we make available to them. The report’s findings will be used to assist us and AFS to develop an even stronger role for the organisation in relation to national alcohol problems policy.

Carers

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding has been allocated (a) under the Carers’ Strategy and (b) for home care services for older people in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-4264 on 5 December 2003, which addresses the levels of funding allocated to local authorities under the Carers’ Strategy. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The following table sets out the resources available to each local authority for services for home-based elderly. It is up to each authority to decide how best to allocate these resources.

  Services for Home based Elderly GAE by Council 2002-02 to 2003-04

  

 Council
 2001-02
(£000) 
 2002-03
(£000) 
 2003-04
(£000) 


 Aberdeen City
 11,424
 12,252
 16,101


 Aberdeenshire
 9,950
 10,792
 14,401


 Angus
 6,681
 7,171
 9,479


 Argyll and Bute
 6,012
 6,391
 8,327


 Clackmannanshire
 2,793
 2,990
 3,918


 Dumfries and Galloway
 9,079
 9,282
 13,062


 Dundee City
 10,132
 10,828
 14,134


 East Ayrshire
 7,356
 7,906
 10,453


 East Dunbartonshire
 4,546
 4,991
 6,750


 East Lothian
 5,241
 5,653
 7,470


 East Renfrewshire
 4,091
 4,455
 5,967


 Edinburgh, City of
 24,842
 26,439
 34,543


 Eilean Siar
 2,273
 2,404
 3,113


 Falkirk
 8,068
 8,723
 11,526


 Fife
 19,735
 21,304
 28,214


 Glasgow City
 43,215
 45,151
 57,969


 Highland
 11,084
 12,004
 15,947


 Inverclyde
 5,624
 5,916
 7,692


 Midlothian
 3,612
 3,920
 5,235


 Moray
 4,281
 4,636
 6,167


 North Ayrshire
 8,421
 9,014
 11,932


 North Lanarkshire
 18,187
 19,507
 25,823


 Orkney Islands
 1,026
 1,115
 1,482


 Perth and Kinross
 8,084
 8,717
 11,579


 Renfrewshire
 9,533
 10,270
 13,623


 Scottish Borders
 6,786
 7,317
 9,654


 Shetland Islands
 1,032
 1,107
 1,442


 South Ayrshire
 7,359
 7,924
 10,490


 South Lanarkshire
 16,201
 17,400
 23,041


 Stirling
 4,615
 4,951
 6,550


 West Dunbartonshire
 5,920
 6,281
 8,204


 West Lothian
 6,490
 7,028
 9,349


 Scotland
 293,694
 314,383
 413,637

Children In Care

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many looked after children were in full time education in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Euan Robson: This information is not held centrally. However, in February 2003, the Executive published a report on progress with implementing the recommendations of Learning with Care . This showed that all local authorities reported between 90% and 100% of looked after children as being in receipt of full-time education, although local authorities were not consistent in including children being looked after at home in this return. This position is supplemented by information in the third annual report of the Chief Social Work Inspector, Progress With Complexity, which sets out the actions being taken by local authorities to improve the educational attainment of looked after children, including the introduction of personal education plans.

Children In Care

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many looked after children did not have a social worker in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Euan Robson: This information is not held centrally. However, in his third annual report Progress with Complexity , published in January this year, the Chief Social Work Inspector found that of a total of around 11,400 looked after children and young people in Scotland, several hundred have no social worker (see http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/prco.pdf). Audit Scotland also published information on children on supervision requirements without an allocated social worker in their follow up report on dealing with youth offending published in November 2003 see

  http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/publications/pdf/2003/03pf11ag.pdf.

Children In Care

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children leaving care were not in (a) full-time education, (b) employment or (c) training in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Euan Robson: This information was collected for the first time in 2002-03. It showed that across Scotland 60% of young people leaving care were not in employment, education or training. A breakdown by local authority area is not available as this was the first year of collection and standards of data returns varied.

Community Care

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have received a community care service from their local authority in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Tom McCabe: There is no universally accepted definition of a "community care service"; however, statistical information on day care, home care, care homes and other services provided by local authorities can be found in the publication "Scottish Community Care Statistics 2002". This publication can be found on the web, at the following address:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00309-00.asp

Community Care

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people (a) were eligible for and (b) received direct payments in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Tom McCabe: The following table provides information on the number of clients receiving direct payments, by local authority, for the years ending 31 March 2001, 2002 and 2003.

  This information was not collected prior to the year 2000-01.

  Information on eligibility is not available.

  Number of Direct Payments by Local Authority

  

 Local Authority
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03


 Aberdeen City
 4
 4
 11


 Aberdeenshire
 8
 6
 11


 Angus
 4
 23
 30


 Argyll and Bute
 0
 0
 0


 Clackmannanshire
 1
 4
 18


 Dumfries and Galloway
 7
 25
 27


 Dundee City
 0
 0
 0


 East Ayrshire
 0
 0
 17


 East Dunbartonshire
 0
 0
 0


 East Lothian
 5
 7
 7


 East Renfrewshire
 0
 0
 0


 Edinburgh, City of
 67
 49
 89


 Eilean Siar
 0
 3
 5


 Falkirk
 0
 0
 0


 Fife
 30
 64
 120


 Glasgow City
 17
 16
 15


 Highland
 14
 23
 43


 Inverclyde
 0
 0
 0


 Midlothian
 0
 0
 0


 Moray
 0
 5
 7


 North Ayrshire
 0
 0
 0


 North Lanarkshire
 3
 10
 11


 Orkney Islands
 0
 0
 1


 Perth and Kinross
 4
 4
 19


 Renfrewshire
 3
 3
 3


 Scottish Borders
 12
 20
 50


 Shetland Islands
 0
 0
 0


 South Ayrshire
 22
 18
 31


 South Lanarkshire
 0
 0
 0


 Stirling
 0
 0
 0


 West Dunbartonshire
 0
 0
 0


 West Lothian
 6
 8
 19


 Scotland
 207
 292
 534



  Source: SEHD – F1 Return.

Crime

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths as a consequence of physical violence occurred in each constituency in each of the last five years, broken down by age and gender.

Hugh Henry: The following table provides the latest available information for Scotland. Detailed tables presenting similar information for parliamentary constituencies have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 31358).

  Deaths from Assault, by Gender and Age Group, Scotland, 1998 - 2002

  

 Gender
 Age Group
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002


 Males
 Total
 77
 101
 68
 74
 97


 
 under 15
 4
 2
 3
 3
 4


 
 15 - 29
 29
 36
 29
 22
 29


 
 30 - 44
 27
 37
 18
 29
 36


 
 45 -59
 11
 23
 14
 16
 18


 
 60 and over
 6
 3
 4
 4
 10


 Females
 Total
 17
 20
 25
 18
 21


 
 under 15
 2
 
 4
 1
 4


 
 15 - 29
 5
 5
 1
 7
 5


 
 30 - 44
 4
 8
 12
 5
 6


 
 45 -59
 3
 4
 5
 4
 3


 
 60 and over
 3
 3
 3
 1
 3

Dentistry

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many emergency dental admissions there have been in each financial year since 1999-2000, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is being compiled by the Information and Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency, but it will take some time to complete.

  I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and will arrange for a copy of my letter to be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Dentistry

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-504 by Mr Tom McCabe on 10 June 2003, how many dentists there have been whose patient registration status shows withdrawn in each financial year from 1999-2000 to 2001-02 and this financial year to date, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is provided in the following table. The presence of a dentist indicates that the status of at least one of his patients is "withdrawn". The data do not necessarily indicate all NHS general dentists who have notified patients of their withdrawal of NHS services. In some cases, dentists may not formally request that a patient’s registration be withdrawn; instead, the registration may simply be allowed to lapse.

  Number of NHS General Dentists with at Least One Patient whose Registration Status shows "withdrawn"1,2 as at 12 February 2004.

  

 NHS Board Area
 April 
  1999
to March 2000
 April 
  2000
to March 2001
 April 
  2001
to March 2002
 April 
  2003
to December 2003


 Ayrshire and Arran
 72
 73
 75
 27


 Borders
 23
 23
 28
 12


 Argyll and Clyde
 81
 80
 59
 26


 Fife
 82
 82
 82
 44


 Greater Glasgow
 209
 203
 190
 64


 Highland
 32
 41
 37
 16


 Lanarkshire
 116
 122
 96
 31


 Grampian
 104
 95
 94
 56


 Orkney
 2
 1
 1
 2


 Lothian
 150
 143
 129
 48


 Tayside
 86
 97
 82
 42


 Forth Valley
 63
 62
 54
 25


 Western Isles
 7
 8
 7
 4


 Dumfries and Galloway
 24
 23
 20
 16


 Shetland
 4
 3
 2
 0


 Scotland
 1,055
 1,056
 956
 413



  Source: MIDAS (Management Information & Dental Accounting System).

  Notes:

  1. Based on patients whose registration status shows "withdrawn" and where the start date of the registration period is between the dates in question. This occurs when there is a request for the registration record to be withdrawn (usually a request from the dentist, approved by the health board). It also includes withdrawals carried out where more than one active registration exists for the same patient as part of data cleansing. This means that some withdrawals may be carried out via an internal process.

  2. A dentist can be present in more than one health board.

Dentistry

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists finished their vocational training last year.

Mr Tom McCabe: The number of dentists who finished their vocational training in July 2003 was 92.

Dentistry

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many approved salaried dentist posts there are.

Mr Tom McCabe: Approval has been granted for 113 salaried dentist posts. Not all of these posts are full-time. They range from 0.1 whole time equivalent to 1 whole time equivalent.

Dentistry

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentist posts are vacant.

Mr Tom McCabe: In terms of the hospital and community dental services, as at 30 September 2003, there were five consultant vacancies out of an establishment of 115. Three of the five posts had been vacant for six months or more.

  The number of dentist posts vacant in the general dental service (high street dentistry) is not held centrally.

Dentistry

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures there are to track those dentists who qualify in Scotland but do not apply for an NHS list number.

Mr Tom McCabe: Since 1994-95, data has been collected by the Education, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department on the number of dentistry graduates in Scotland in each year. This is broken down to identify the domicile of the graduates and the first destination of dentistry graduates from Scottish higher education institutes (categorised into Scotland, rest of the UK, rest of the world, and unknown first destination).

  The most recent information within this "first destination study" is correct as at 2001-02 when 80% of these graduates had a first destination in Scotland.

  Further tracking is done through employment in the NHS. Through this system, first year vocational trainees can be tracked to subsequent jobs in NHSScotland.

Dentistry

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available for dentists wishing to purchase an existing practice.

Mr Tom McCabe: There is currently no assistance available for dentists wishing to purchase an existing practice.

Dentistry

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the eligibility criteria for the access grant for dentists establishing new dental practices to include those purchasing existing practices.

Mr Tom McCabe: We are currently looking at the eligibility criteria for grant under the Scottish dental access initiative with a view to making these more flexible.

Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fixed penalty notices have been issued by each local authority under the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003.

Tavish Scott: As the provisions contained in the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003 only came into effect on 22 October last year this information is not yet available. However, as indicated in my response to S2W-5987 on 26 February 2004, we intend to undertake a survey towards the end of 2004 to establish how effective the provisions have been and this will include seeking details from local authorities as to the number of fixed penalties they have issued.

Drug Misuse

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet its target of having a 10% increase in the number of drug misusers receiving a drug treatment and care service in the community this year.

Hugh Henry: The target of achieving a 10% increase in the number of new clients attending drug treatment services is monitored through returns to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database and figures are published annually by financial years.

  Data for 2003-04 will not be available until the autumn.

Drug Misuse

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug misusers have received a drug treatment and care service in the community in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information is not held centrally on the total number of drug misusers who have received a drug treatment service since 1999. However, the Information and Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency (ISD Scotland) do publish figures on the numbers of new clients entering drug treatment services each year, based on returns to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database. These figures are broken down by local authority area and are available at www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org.

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated to Scottish Training on Drugs and Alcohol in each year since its formation.

Euan Robson: £612,000 a year, £1.8 million over three years, has been allocated to Scottish Training on Drugs and Alcohol since its inception in April 2001.

  We are committed to maintaining at least this level of funding for a further three years until 31 March 2007.

Economy

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of economic growth being its top priority, which measurement it considers to be the most important in measuring economic performance and for what reasons.

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of economic growth being its top priority, which measurement it considers to be the most important in measuring the impact of economic performance on the people of Scotland and for what reasons.

Mr Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-2774 on 30 September 2003, which noted that economic performance is assessed by a number of indicators. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Economy

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of economic growth being its top priority, what targets it will be asking the new senior management of Scottish Enterprise to achieve and for what reasons.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has provided strategic direction to Scottish Enterprise in A Smart, Successful Scotland . Measures for tracking performance against priorities, and progress against these measures, are set out in the reports Measuring Progress towards a Smart, Successful, Scotland . The measures deal with performance of the economy and add to the strategic guidance given to the enterprise networks but they are not direct measures of enterprise network activity.

  Targets for Scottish Enterprise activity are for the board of that body to set, taking into account strategic direction and performance measures, discussion with the Executive and available resources. Such in year output targets are set out in operating plans.

Economy

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how important it is for the economic significance and potential of the West Lothian and North Lanarkshire area to be recognised if the city regions of Edinburgh and Glasgow are to be properly developed.

Mr Jim Wallace: As indicated in Building Better Cities , our framework policy document for Scotland’s cities, the Executive recognises the importance of city-regions and the economic significance and potential of West Lothian and North Lanarkshire in developing the city-regions of Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Economy

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet West Lothian and North Lanarkshire councils to discuss the case for a balanced city region approach and address any problems and issues that face the substantial urban economies of the central belt.

Mr Jim Wallace: Officials from the Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department of the Scottish Executive met recently with representatives from North Lanarkshire and West Lothian councils to discuss economic development and collaboration in their areas and are willing to engage further as appropriate.

Education

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations will be utilised to provide advocacy services to children and families in relation to the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill, stating where such organisations are based.

Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-5990 on 2 March 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Education

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission a study into the additional costs of funding separate infrastructures for Catholic and non-denominational schools and whether it will make a ministerial statement on the matter.

Peter Peacock: We have no plans to commission such a study. We have made clear our support for denominational schools for as long as parents wish that choice.

Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on the Education Maintenance Allowance pilot schemes in (a) East Ayrshire, (b) Glasgow, (c) West Dunbartonshire and (d) Dundee in each of the financial years in which the schemes operated.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) pilot areas have spent as follows:

  

 Financial Year
 1999-2000
(£) 
 2000-01
(£) 
 2001-02
(£) 
 2002-03
(£) 
 2003-04
(£)



East Ayrshire
 892,479
 1,316,653
 1,161,000
 1,140,500
 Not 
  available



Dundee
 nil
 nil
 915,000
 1,310,000
 Not 
  available



Glasgow
 nil
 nil
 2,912,000
 4,900,000
 Not 
  available



West Dunbartonshire
 nil
 nil
 488,000
 774,100
 Not 
  available



  EMA budgeting follows financial not academic years.

Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the family income threshold for qualifying for the Educational Maintenance Allowance before the scheme is rolled out nationally in the academic year 2004-05.

Mr Jim Wallace: Income thresholds will be expanded for national rollout of the EMA programme in academic year 2004-05.

  Thresholds have been developed in line with Treasury and Inland Revenue advances in the Tax Credit system.

  

 
 Minimum Income 
  Threshold
 Maximum Income 
  Threshold


 Original pilot figures (1999-2000)
 £13,000
 £25,000


 Revised pilot figures (2003-04)

 £15,000
 £30,000


 National rollout thresholds 
  (2004-05)
 £19,630
 £30,000

Environment

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what occurrences there have been of oil and fuel-related pollution of water from (a) industrial and commercial premises and (b) domestic premises in each of the last five years.

Allan Wilson: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive as this is an operational matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Europe

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is providing to public bodies and other groups to mark EU enlargement on 1 May 2004.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive considers requests to support events to mark EU enlargement on an individual basis. Scottish ministers have contributed to a number of conferences, debates and awareness-raising events on EU enlargement over recent months and will continue to do so. For example, I have accepted an invitation to speak at the New Europe conference taking place in the member’s constituency at the end of April.

  In terms of financial support, the Executive endorsed the Edinburgh Consortium application for European Commission funding to mark EU Enlargement, and has already committed match-funding for its exhibition on "Scots in Europe".

Family Law

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage fathers, in cases of divorce or separation, to stay in contact with their children and to simplify the legal process and what the planned timescale is of its proposed bill on family law.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive believes that both parents should continue to be involved in their child’s upbringing following separation or divorce, where this is practical and in the best interests of the child. The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 provides the court with sufficient powers to deal with the complex situations that can arise when families are in transition and arrangements for residence or contact may be disputed.

  In our white paper Parents and Children we proposed giving automatic parental responsibilities and rights to unmarried fathers who in the future register the birth of their child jointly with the mother. We will issue in the near future a further consultation on our proposals for the reform of family law. We will bring forward a bill in due course and when Parliamentary time permits.

  We realise that some parents, especially fathers, are not aware of the current law and how it affects their parental rights. We will make sure that any changes that we make to family law are made widely known so that parents are aware of their legal position in relation to their children.

Fire Service

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the salary of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Fire Services for Scotland is for 2003-04 and will be for 2004-05.

Hugh Henry: The annual salary of the outgoing Chief Inspector was £100,200 and the salary of the new Chief Inspector, who took up post on 1 March 2004, is also £100,200.

Food Standards

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out by the Food Standards Agency into any links between trans fats or hydrogenated vegetable oils and coronary heart disease.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Food Standards Agency has not carried out, and is not currently funding, any research investigating the links between trans fats or hydrogenated vegetable oils and coronary heart disease.

  Hydrogenation is a process of turning liquid oil into solid fat. During this process, a type of trans fat may be formed that raises cholesterol levels in the blood. This increases the risk of coronary heart disease. The Food Standards Agency does therefore advise that as part of a healthy diet, we should try to reduce the amount of saturated fats and trans fats we eat and replace them with unsaturated fats.

Food Standards

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the labelling of food to include trans fat content in light of scientific information highlighted by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States of America.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Food Standards Agency has informed me that the European Commission is reviewing the nutrition labelling rules and preliminary papers suggest that the issue of labelling of trans   fatty acid content may be discussed.

Foster Care

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been in foster care placements in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Euan Robson: The table below shows the number of looked after children in foster care on 31 March, in each year between 1999 and 2003.

  

 Local Authority 
  Area
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003


 Aberdeen City
 210
 155
 120
 130
 95


 Aberdeenshire
 90
 115
 110
 115
 115


 Angus
 75
 75
 65
 85
 95


 Argyll and Bute
 35
 30
 25
 30
 40


 Clackmannanshire
 35
 30
 35
 35
 35


 Dumfries and Galloway
 120
 105
 125
 125
 145


 Dundee City
 125
 150
 120
 120
 125


 East Ayrshire
 30
 55
 70
 65
 85


 East Dunbartonshire
 5
 10
 10
 15
 10


 East Lothian
 55
 65
 80
 75
 80


 East Renfrewshire
 10
 5
 5
 10
 10


 Edinburgh, City 
  of
 305
 330
 325
 320
 340


 Eilean Siar
 10
 10
 10
 5
 15


 Falkirk
 90
 85
 100
 85
 105


 Fife
 180
 160
 190
 185
 200


 Glasgow City
 655
 685
 640
 715
 705


 Highland
 180
 115
 110
 105
 95


 Inverclyde
 30
 30
 25
 25
 25


 Midlothian
 50
 55
 40
 45
 50


 Moray
 95
 55
 60
 55
 60


 North Ayrshire
 60
 45
 75
 55
 60


 North Lanarkshire
 120
 135
 145
 140
 135


 Orkney Islands
 5
 5
 10
 10
 5


 Perth and Kinross
 65
 50
 55
 65
 65


 Renfrewshire
 80
 70
 80
 85
 105


 Scottish Borders
 75
 65
 70
 80
 80


 Shetland Islands
 10
 10
 15
 15
 15


 South Ayrshire
 20
 30
 35
 50
 55


 South Lanarkshire
 80
 80
 70
 75
 80


 Stirling
 60
 60
 60
 55
 55


 West Dunbartonshire
 70
 70
 60
 70
 70


 West Lothian
 120
 105
 145
 120
 135


 Scotland
 3,155
 3,058
 3,084
 3,170
 3,288



  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five, to preserve confidentiality.

  2. Table excludes children on a planned series of short term placements.

  3. Table includes rounded estimates for local authorities not able to provide information.

Health

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of Lyme disease have been recorded in each of the last 10 years, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The numbers of cases of Lyme disease notified between 1994 and 2003, by NHS board, were

  

 
 Years 
  Ended 31 December:


 NHS Board (Residence)
 1994
 1995
 1996
 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003P


 Scotland
 9
 5
 3
 12
 11
 11
 27
 17
 40
 43


 Argyll and Clyde
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 3


 Ayrshire and Arran
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Borders
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1


 Dumfries & 
  Galloway
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1
 1


 Fife
 1
 -
 -
 4
 6
 2
 -
 -
 3
 1


 Forth Valley
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Grampian
 -
 1
 -
 2
 2
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Greater Glasgow
 1
 1
 2
 -
 -
 1
 1
 -
 1
 1


 Highland
 2
 2
 1
 4
 1
 4
 24
 16
 27
 34


 Lanarkshire
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Lothian
 2
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1


 Orkney
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Shetland
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Tayside
 1
 -
 -
 -
 1
 2
 - 
 -
 7
 1


 Western Isles
 -
 -
 -
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -



  Sources : ISD Scotland ISD(D)3 (1994-02), ISD(D)2 (2003).

  Note: PProvisional.

Health

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will invite the new national parks authority to provide advice on the precautions to take to minimise the risks of infection by Lyme disease.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive has no plans to do so. Representative groups, such as the Ramblers Association, provide information and advice to their members on the precautions they should take to avoid the risk of infection in the countryside. It is for the National Parks Authority, as employers, to consider what measures are appropriate to ensure adequate protection for their staff.

Health

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in response to the report by the Royal College of Physicians that 18 million people in the United Kingdom have allergies and that these are becoming more severe and complex.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive has taken no action directly related to this report. In September 2000, the Scottish Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee produced a detailed and comprehensive report on immunology and allergy services in Scotland. This identified deficiencies in service provision and made a number of recommendations for their improvement. The report was widely distributed to NHS boards, NHS trusts and individual clinicians with an interest in allergy and immunology, with a view to informing future decisions on services in these fields. Since the report was published, three more consultant immunologists have taken up posts.

Health

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3760 by Mr Tom McCabe on 12 November 2003, whether there are now any proposals to change the current regime in respect of the prescription of stoma appliances.

Malcolm Chisholm: The consultation on appliance contractors included a number of options for the future supply of appliances, including stoma appliances, which we are continuing to evaluate.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5925 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2004, whether the number of patients waiting for a first appointment at the Sleep Centre in Edinburgh at 3 February 2004 was 1,069 and how the figure of 655 patients referred to in that answer was calculated.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked for the figure given in response to the earlier question to be checked. This checking has revealed that the earlier figure, which was provided by NHS Lothian, was incorrect, since it excluded those patients who were referred to the Sleep Centre before 1 April 2003, and also excluded those patients waiting for a joint first appointment and sleep study. I apologise for this error.

  The total number of patients waiting for a first appointment with a consultant, following referral by a GP, at the beginning of February, was indeed 1,069.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5925 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2004, whether the number of patients awaiting a first appointment at the Sleep Centre in Edinburgh included any patients who had been on the waiting list in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03.

Malcolm Chisholm: Some of the patients waiting for a first appointment at the Sleep Centre were referred in the course of 2002-03. None were referred before 2002-03.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5926 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2004 and the reduction in funding for the Sleep Centre in the current financial year from the 2001-02 and 2002-03 levels, whether it intends to increase funding to the centre and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Malcolm Chisholm: Funding of the Sleep Centre in Edinburgh is a matter for NHS Lothian. I understand that the apparent reduction in funding referred to was a consequence of Grampian NHS Board setting up a local sleep disorder service in 2003-04. Patients from Grampian no longer require to travel to Edinburgh for treatment, and Grampian NHS Board, therefore, no longer makes payments to NHS Lothian in respect of this service. There is no indication that overall funding for sleep disorder patients in Scotland has been reduced.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding by NHS boards for referrals to the Sleep Centre in Edinburgh is ring-fenced.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards are responsible for arranging and funding treatment for their residents in other NHS board areas, where that is appropriate. Core funding for the Sleep Centre is part of NHS Lothian’s general financial allocation.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring takes place of the funding to the Sleep Centre in Edinburgh with regard to evaluating outcomes.

Malcolm Chisholm: This is a matter for NHS Lothian, as part of its responsibility for planning, monitoring, evaluating and managing the performance of the services it provides to patients.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the cost of continuous positive airway pressure machines should be attributed to the community pharmacy budget and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Malcolm Chisholm: Continuous positive airway pressure machines may be used in the treatment of sleep apnoea. These machines are not attributed to primary care budgets because patients whose symptoms suggest they may be suffering from sleep apnoea are referred by their GP’s to hospital specialist clinics for diagnosis and treatment. If needed they are supplied through the hospital service, with the cost being met from the hospital’s budget and the patients care being managed by a relevant specialist.

Health

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on West Lothian Council’s support for a full community and health care partnership building on the success of its integrated trust model, the joint future arrangements for community services expanded to include appropriate services for children, the health improvement agenda and the West Lothian Community Planning Partnership and whether the Scottish Executive will issue guidance to ensure that West Lothian Council representation on such a community and health care partnership’s management committee includes trade union representatives and a politically-balanced representation of elected members.

Malcolm Chisholm: The establishment of community health partnerships is dependent on the passage of the NHS (Reform) Scotland Bill. The views of a wide range of stakeholders have been taken into account in preparing the draft legislation and the guidance which will describe the governance arrangements for community health partnerships. When the legislation is in place NHS boards will be required to submit to Ministers proposals for the establishment of community health partnerships in the NHS board’s area. It would not be appropriate to comment on a particular model for a community health partnership until the legislation is in place and the proposals from NHS boards have received full consideration.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much methadone was prescribed in each year since 1999 and what percentage was sugar-free.

Malcolm Chisholm: Methadone hydrochloride can be used as a cough suppressant in terminal disease, an opioid analgesic and as a drug used in substance dependence. It is available in the following formulations: linctus; tablets; powder; injections; and oral solutions.

  Only oral solutions used in the treatment of substance dependence are available as sugar free.

  The table shows the number of prescribed items for all formulations of methadone hydrochloride for the years ending 31 March 2000 to 2003 inclusive. Data in the tables refer to prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors, but do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals or hospital-based clinics.

  

 
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003


 Total Prescribed Items
 243,120
 274,164
 319,138
 360,326


 Total Sugar Free
 31,753
 39,050
 47,469
 72,482


 Percentage Sugar Free
 13.06%
 14.24%
 14.87%
 20.12%



  Source: The information in the table has been provided by ISD.

Hepatitis

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made regarding establishing a charitable trust through which ex- gratia compensation payments may be made to NHS patients inadvertently infected with hepatitis C.

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that compensation payments for NHS patients inadvertently infected with hepatitis C will commence.

Malcolm Chisholm: Administrative arrangements for the establishment of the Skipton Fund, the independent body that will administer the ex-gratia payment scheme, are being finalised. We hope that the fund will be in a position to accept and process applications for payment under the scheme in April.

Hospitals

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that, following NHS Lothians’ review of better acute care, the acute medical and surgical admissions facilities at the Western General Hospital and St John’s Hospital will not close.

Malcolm Chisholm: Proposals that emerge from NHS Lothian’s review of possible future patterns of acute care across its area will be subject to full public consultation. The board must obtain the Scottish Executive’s endorsement of its overall strategy in the light of public consultation. It would not be appropriate, therefore, for me to comment on any particular form of service provision at this stage.

Hospitals

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, under the review of burns treatment facilities by the Deputy Chief Medical Officer following a similar review in England, it will ensure that St John’s Hospital will be designated as a burns unit and that there will not be a negative impact on St John’s Hospital as a result of any redesignation of burns services.

Malcolm Chisholm: Any decisions about the future configuration of the burns service at St John’s are primarily for NHS Lothian, in consultation with relevant clinicians.

  The clinically-led review of burns treatment facilities is looking at current Scottish burns capacity, with particular reference to severity and length of stay, and in the light of the introduction of managed clinical networks in a range of clinical services in Scotland. The aim of the review, which is expected to reach conclusions soon, is to maximise the effectiveness of burns services across Scotland. Any proposal to alter significantly the existing pattern of burns services would be the subject of public consultation. It would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage.

Hospitals

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the specialist burns unit and associated plastic surgery facility at St John’s Hospital will be retained at no less than their current operational scope and size.

Malcolm Chisholm: Decisions about the scale and configuration of healthcare services are matters for NHS boards, within national priorities and guidelines. In planning services, boards are obliged to take account of the assessed current and future needs of patients, and the existing and planned pattern of service provision regionally, and, where appropriate, nationally.

Hospitals

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which long-stay hospitals may not have all residents resettled by 2005 due to uncertainty over the financial framework by local authorities, as referred to in the annual report of the Chief Social Work Inspector, Progress with Complexity: The 2003 National Overview Report.

Mr Tom McCabe: The same as you? recommended in May 2000 that all long stay hospitals for people with learning disabilities should close by 2005. Six have closed since May 2000, with seven remaining for closure by 2005. On 12 January The same as you? national implementation group published the Home at Last? report on progress with hospital closures and service reprovision, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 31309). It sets out a number of action points that aim to assist local authorities and NHS boards in meeting the 2005 target, including a programme of work by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHSQIS) to monitor the hospital closure programme in the run up to 2005. NHSQIS has set up a project group to work with all partners to deliver the closure of all long stay hospitals for people with learning disabilities by 2005.

Housing

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5903 by Ms Margaret Curran on 17 February 2004, whether it will provide a breakdown of the nature of housing provided in each local authority area into (a) general needs housing, (b) special needs housing, (c) low cost housing and (d) any other identifiable category.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The table shows the planned number of housing approvals set out in answer S2W-5903 on 17 February 2004 in each local authority area split by general needs, special needs and low cost home ownership.

  

 Table 1 - Unit Approvals 
  (2003-04)


 Unitary Authority
 Rent 
  -
 Rent 
  -
 Low 
  Cost


 
 General
 Special
 Home


 
 Needs
 Needs
 Ownership


 
 No.
 No.
 No.


 Aberdeenshire
 21
 32
 38


 Angus
 59
 57
 0


 Argyll and Bute
 86
 28
 5


 City of Aberdeen
 10
 128
 64


 City of Dundee
 100
 121
 0


 City of Edinburgh
 251
 68
 21


 City of Glasgow
 1,233
 197
 272


 Clackmannanshire
 16
 17
 0


 Dumfries & 
  Galloway
 93
 53
 0


 East Ayrshire
 26
 17
 0


 East Dunbartonshire
 10
 0
 0


 East Lothian
 25
 0
 0


 East Renfrewshire
 36
 40
 0


 Falkirk
 34
 10
 12


 Fife
 104
 87
 56


 Highland
 155
 8
 97


 Inverclyde
 143
 36
 0


 Midlothian
 0
 14
 0


 Moray
 47
 47
 10


 North Ayrshire
 46
 31
 0


 North Lanarkshire
 141
 97
 72


 Orkney
 19
 17
 25


 Perth and Kinross
 106
 49
 26


 Renfrewshire
 222
 124
 0


 Shetland
 36
 0
 13


 South Ayrshire
 38
 43
 0


 South Lanarkshire
 254
 42
 60


 Stirling
 90
 21
 0


 The Scottish Borders
 44
 13
 2


 West Dunbartonshire
 155
 63
 0


 West Lothian
 90
 10
 0


 Western Isles
 37
 8
 22

Housing

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional level of private housebuilding is necessary to arrest recent rises in house prices.

Ms Margaret Curran: The interim report of the Barker Review contains an analysis of how an increase in house-building might lead to a zero real rate of house price growth. This is one of several options in the interim report for considering housing supply levels, each of which is to be considered with considerable caution for the reasons given in the interim report. The analysis relates to Great Britain as a whole and the detailed underpinning work has not yet been published. It is not possible on present information to say whether the conclusions of the analysis could be applied to Scotland.

  We have been liaising closely with the Barker Review team and we will consider the conclusions of the review after the final report has been published and we have had an opportunity to consider their implications for Scotland.

Housing

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the planning system is a contributory factor to house building levels being relatively unresponsive to price signals.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Review of Housing Supply concluded at Great Britain level that the availability of land and the planning system are amongst the factors which affect housing supply.

  The land use planning system has an important role in enabling development to take place and guiding that development to the most suitable locations. The Executive’s planning policy on new housing is set out in Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 3: Planning for Housing (published in March 2003). SPP 3 states that planning authorities should ensure that the housing land requirement for each housing market area is provided in full.

Information Technology

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any estimate has been made of the cost of connecting 95% of the population to broadband and, if so, what that cost is.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive is considering how to expand affordable broadband coverage well beyond the 70% target we have already reached. Our independent advisers have made cost projections of the likely stages. However, it could prejudice the value for money of any future procurement exercise if these estimates were made public at present.

Libraries

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage more people to borrow materials from libraries.

Mr Frank McAveety: Scotland’s libraries have worked together to offer a range of reading promotions to the public. These have included five Now Read On promotions, through the 1990s, the Scottish Writers promotion of 2000, whose CD ROM was short-listed for a BAFTA Innovation award, and the Mind’s Eye non-fiction promotion.

  With help from the Scottish Arts Council lottery fund, the Scottish Library and Information Council and CILIP in Scotland have been helping the Scottish libraries establish a reader development network. Reader development uses a reader-centred approach and is focussed on widening individual reading tastes for contemporary fiction, developing and sustaining the publishing industry. The reader development network has seen an explosion in library-based reading groups, including groups for the visually impaired, island-based book chains and local reading activities and promotions.

Libraries

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it issues guidelines to local authorities on levels of investment in lending stock for libraries.

Mr Frank McAveety: The COSLA report, Standards for the Public Library Service in Scotland 1995 , provides guidance on the number of titles which should be added to stock for local authorities to provide an adequate selection of material for users, without defining spending levels, which is a matter for individual authorities. It is clear from Audit Scotland’s recent publication, Cultural and Community Services Performance Indicators 2002-03, that many authorities have not been able to achieve these levels.

  The Scottish Executive has asked the Scottish Library and Information Council to explore with local authorities ways of improving the delivery of public library services, including book stock and reader development activity.

Maternity Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3779 by Malcolm Chisholm on 21 November 2003, whether it will ensure that the report from NHS Argyll and Clyde and NHS Greater Glasgow on the pattern of patient choice for consultant-led maternity units involves substantive discussion with clinicians from the Queen Mother's Hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: While this is primarily a matter for NHS Argyll and Clyde and NHS Greater Glasgow, I would expect appropriate clinical advice to form part of the development of the report.

Mental Health

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) psychologists and (b) people offering psychiatric assistance, provided mental health services for looked after children in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Tom McCabe: This information is not held centrally.

NHS Waiting Times

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4807 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004, what the difference was in median wait and mean wait, broken down by NHS board and speciality in each quarter.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 31311).

NHS Waiting Times

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4807 by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004, whether it holds the same information on median and mean waiting times for (a) in-patients and day cases and (b) out-patients, stating availability status codes.

Malcolm Chisholm: Availability Status Codes (ASCs) are not mandatory data items on the in-patient and day case discharge record. For this reason the in-patient/day case table in the answer to S2W-4807 includes all cases, and does not exclude cases with an ASC.

  On the out-patient record, Availability Status Codes (ASCs) can be identified. The table provides information on the median and mean waiting times for new out-patients without an ASC and new outpatients with an ASC. The mean and median wait data for new outpatients without an ASC was previously included in the answer to S2W-4807.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  

 
 Difference 
  in Median Wait and Mean Wait (days) for New Outpatient Appointments


 Quarter Ended
 Excludes 
  ASCs
 Only 
  ASCs


 
 Median
 Mean
 Difference
 Median
 Mean
 Difference


 30-Jun-1997
 41
 54.9
 -13.9
 81
 105.3
 -24.3


 30-Sep-1997
 45
 60.5
 -15.5
 83
 101.1
 -18.1


 31-Dec-1997
 44
 61.7
 -17.7
 87
 108.6
 -21.6


 31-Mar-1998
 43
 60.7
 -17.7
 84
 106.6
 -22.6


 30-Jun-1998
 43
 59.3
 -16.3
 73
 97.5
 -24.5


 30-Sep-1998
 48
 64.0
 -16.0
 79
 98.2
 -19.2


 31-Dec-1998
 48
 64.8
 -16.8
 83
 102.7
 -19.7


 31-Mar-1999
 47
 66.2
 -19.2
 84
 104.4
 -20.4


 30-Jun-1999
 46
 64.3
 -18.3
 75
 98.0
 -23.0


 30-Sep-1999
 51
 69.2
 -18.2
 78
 99.0
 -21.0


 31-Dec-1999
 50
 69.6
 -19.6
 82
 104.3
 -22.3


 31-Mar-2000
 48
 68.7
 -20.7
 87
 109.2
 -22.2


 30-Jun-2000
 47
 65.0
 -18.0
 80
 107.7
 -27.7


 30-Sep-2000
 50
 68.3
 -18.3
 84
 108.0
 -24.0


 31-Dec-2000
 50
 71.9
 -21.9
 87
 113.1
 -26.1


 31-Mar-2001
 51
 78.0
 -27.0
 91
 116.7
 -25.7


 30-Jun-2001
 50
 73.4
 -23.4
 90
 119.5
 -29.5


 30-Sep-2001
 56
 77.2
 -21.2
 91
 117.5
 -26.5


 31-Dec-2001
 55
 79.9
 -24.9
 98
 125.2
 -27.2


 31-Mar-2002
 56
 83.3
 -27.3
 102
 130.0
 -28.0


 30-Jun-2002
 54
 84.1
 -30.1
 91
 125.6
 -34.6


 30-Sep-2002
 57
 87.5
 -30.5
 93
 124.0
 -31.0


 31-Dec-2002
 57
 90.8
 -33.8
 91
 123.4
 -32.4


 31-Mar-2003
 56
 91.8
 -35.8
 95
 129.9
 -34.9


 30-Jun-2003
 51
 84.9
 -33.9
 88
 129.9
 -41.9


 30-Sep-2003
 55
 86.9
 -31.9
 92
 131.0
 -39.0



  Source: Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00 dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patient clinic.

  Note: Data for the most recent quarters should be considered provisional

NHS Waiting Times

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was for (a) equipment and (b) adaptations for people with physical disabilities, as referred to in the annual report of the Chief Social Work Inspector, Progress with Complexity: The 2003 National Overview Report , in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Euan Robson: This information was not collected. Local authorities were asked about systems in place to monitor and improve waiting times as reported in Equipment and Adaptation Services in Scotland: A Survey of Waiting Times for Social Work Provision,  published in   December 2001, copies of which are available in the Parliaments Reference Centre (Bib number 18415).

National Health Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms it will put in place to ensure that the policy of regional planning in the NHS is effectively implemented.

Malcolm Chisholm: The NHS Reform (Scotland) Bill will make provision for a new duty on NHS boards to co-operate to advance the health of the people of Scotland. That duty will underpin the work currently underway in boards to draw together a framework for regional planning. The framework will make it clear that boards must participate in regional planning, that decisions reached in regional planning groups are binding and it will set out arrangements for dispute resolution. We will ensure that an assessment of regional planning activity forms part of the annual accountability review for each NHS board.

National Health Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in establishing a fully researched mediation service for the NHS; when the working group planning the implementation of this service will report, and when it expects the service to be fully operational.

Malcolm Chisholm: The report published in 2003 by the expert group on financial and other support, chaired by Lord Ross, endorsed the recommendation made by the Royal Society of Edinburgh in their report Encouraging Resolution - Mediating patient/health service disputes in Scotland , that the Scottish Executive should, in conjunction with NHSScotland’s Central Legal Office, undertake a fully researched mediation project mirroring that being undertaken by the National Health Service Litigation Authority in England.

  A working group with representatives from the Executive’s Health and Justice departments, Central Legal Office, a NHS medical director, an academic from the University of Edinburgh and the Medical and Dental Defence Union in Scotland has been set up to take this recommendation forward.

  The group is currently working on the specification of a research project expected to run for three years and therefore anticipates reporting on the outcome of that project sometime in 2007.

Nurses

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of the Nursing and Midwifery Council statistics that the number of United Kingdom nurses leaving to work overseas rose last year by one third to 8,000 and how many of the 8,000 nurses were from Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not available from The Nursing and Midwifery Council.

  The Executive is committed to building the capacity of the nursing and midwifery workforce and to establishing NHSScotland as an employer of choice. However, we must also respect the freedom that individuals have in choosing to apply their knowledge and skills outwith the United Kingdom.

Nurses

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, how many of the 3,742 overseas nurses recruited to work in Britain from the banned list of countries in 2002-03 were recruited to work in Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally, but figures issued by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in January 2004 for 2002-03 state that less than 2% of Scotland’s nursing workforce is from countries outside the EU – around 970 nurses. Most of these nurses work in the independent sector in elderly care homes.

People with Disabilities

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to direct local authorities to improve services for people with sensory impairments, in light of the concerns expressed by the annual report of the Chief Social Work Inspector, Progress with Complexity: The 2003 National Overview Report.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Sensory Impairment Action Plan, launched in January, gives the Executive, local authorities and other stakeholders clear goals for improved services for people with a sensory impairment. A key recommendation is that a short life working group be set up to produce common sensory impairment service standards for implementation by September 2005.

Pharmacists

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the minor ailments service for community pharmacists will be introduced across Scotland.

Mr Tom McCabe: The extension of the minor ailment service throughout Scotland will be informed by both experience gained in the pilots (currently underway in NHS Ayrshire and Arran and NHS Tayside) and the on-going discussions with the Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council on the new community pharmacy contract.

Pharmacists

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the eligibility rules for access to the minor ailments service for community pharmacists.

Mr Tom McCabe: Currently the service is being piloted in NHS Ayrshire and Arran and NHS Tayside, where the eligibility rules are available.

Pharmacists

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which general sale list or pharmacy-only items will be excluded from the minor ailments service for community pharmacists and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Mr Tom McCabe: Items excluded from the minor ailments service are those which cannot be prescribed on the NHS and are listed in Schedule 10 to the NHS (General Medical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1995 No. 416 (S.29).

Planning

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make any changes to the current planning guidance regarding the erection of mobile phone masts.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: We expect to publish shortly recent research on the evaluation of revised planning controls for telecommunications development introduced in 2001. We will consider whether any revision of the existing planning guidance is required in light of the findings of this research.

  I would also refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-5472 on 22 January 2004, with regard specifically to National Planning Policy Guideline 19: Radio Telecommunications. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Regional Selective Assistance

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5032 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 February 2004, what the original terms were of Hoover’s regional selective assistance offer of £1.7 million.

Mr Jim Wallace: Hoover was offered a regional selective assistance grant of £1.7 million in October 1998. The project involved planned capital expenditure of over £5,195,000 and the planned safeguarding of 475 jobs which was later amended to 361 safeguarded jobs. The £1.7 million has been paid in full with the company actually spending £6 million on the project. The last instalment of grant was paid in February 2003 and the project was to remain in conditions until February 2005.

  The answer to S2W-5032 on 12 February 2004 provides the current position. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Regional Selective Assistance

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any non-financial incentives were offered to Hoover as part of the agreement to retain research and development and manufacturing at its Cambuslang plant.

Mr Jim Wallace: The incentives offered to Hoover are as outlined in the answer to S2W-5032 on 12 February 2004 with the addition that South Lanarkshire Council has agreed to look into reviewing Hoover’s rates as a result of its reduced floorspace. There were no non-financial incentives offered to Hoover as part of the agreement to retain jobs at Cambuslang.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Road Accidents

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) fatal, (b) serious and (c) slight casualties there were in each of the last five years for which figures are available in (i) road and (ii) other transport accidents involving illegal alcohol levels and what the percentage change was for each category between each year.

Nicol Stephen: Estimates of the numbers of casualties in road accidents involving illegal alcohol levels in each of the last five years for which figures are available were published in Road Accidents Scotland 2002 , copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 30447).

  The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to the collection of statistics on rail, air and marine accidents.

Roads

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a schedule and timetable for construction works on the A77 Bellfield Interchange to Monkton Roundabout.

Nicol Stephen: A public exhibition will be held later this year once the assessments of options have been completed. It is too early in the design process to specify when a timetable for the construction works could be published.

Roads

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it cost to replace traffic lights at the bridge at the Crawfordjohn Junction on the A76 between Kirkconnel and Sanquhar.

Nicol Stephen: The cost of the recent replacement of the traffic lights at the bridge at the Crawfordjohn Junction on the A76 between Kirkconnel and Sanquhar was £27,800.

Roads

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the cost of replacing the bridge at the Crawfordjohn junction on the A76 between Kirkconnel and Sanquhar to allow a two-way flow of traffic and, if so, what the cost would be.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has not made an assessment of the cost of replacing the bridge at the Crawfordjohn Junction on the A76 between Kirkconnel and Sanquhar.

Scottish Water

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the current Scottish Water proposals in respect of wastewater treatment on the Isle of Arran represent best value and what the reasons are for the position on the matter.

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, if the current Scottish Water proposals in respect of wastewater treatment on the Isle of Arran are implemented, how many homes on the island would remain unconnected to the public sewage system; where these homes are located; what percentage of homes in each area specified by Scottish Water for improvement work would remain unconnected to the public sewerage system, and by what method homes not connected to the public sewerage system would dispose of raw sewage.

Allan Wilson: Ministers have tasked Scottish Water with delivering the current capital programme (Quality and Standards II) to quality standards as specified by the appropriate regulator (in this case the Scottish Environment Protection Agency) and to overall efficiency targets as set by the Water Industry Commissioner. Within this context, development of investment proposals in specific locations, such as Arran, are operational matters for Scottish Water. Accordingly, I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you about this matter.

Social Work

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many social workers were sponsored to undertake the Diploma in Social Work by their local authority in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Euan Robson: This information is not held centrally.

Social Work

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many social service workers will have to be redeployed by local authorities because they are unable, or unwilling, to achieve the requisite qualifications of the social services register for the staff in phase 1, as referred to in the annual report of the Chief Social Work Inspector Progress with Complexity: The 2003 National Overview Report.

Euan Robson: Staff who come on to the register in phase one will have until the end of the first period of registration (a further three years) to achieve the necessary qualifications. The numbers of staff who will not achieve the required qualifications will therefore be determined by employers as the registration process proceeds.

Student Finance

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce the Disabled Student Allowance for all disabled postgraduate students other than students funded by research councils.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Disabled Students' Allowance is currently available to all full-time postgraduate students in receipt of an award from the Students’ Award Agency for Scotland under the Postgraduate Student Allowance Scheme.

  We have considered the additional needs of students with disabilities as part of the funding for learners review and continue to liaise closely with key stakeholders on this issue. Any extension of support would have to be considered as part of the current spending review process.

Student Finance

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to vary the amount payable under its graduate endowment scheme.

Mr Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-5756 on 9 February 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questionss are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Suicide

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths by suicide occurred in each constituency in each of the last five years, broken down by age and gender.

Hugh Henry: The following table provides the latest available information for Scotland. It combines deaths from events of undetermined intent and deaths from intentional self-harm, as the majority of the former are likely to have been suicides. Detailed tables presenting similar information for parliamentary constituencies have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 31357).

  Deaths From Intentional Self-Harm and Events of Undetermined Intent, by Gender and Age Group

  

 Gender
 Age Group
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002


 Males
 Total
 650
 663
 674
 646
 676


 
 under 15
 2
 3
 3
 2
 3


 
 15 - 29
 182
 186
 202
 167
 176


 
 30 - 44
 228
 232
 228
 232
 252


 
 45 - 59
 137
 128
 134
 151
 144


 
 60 and over
 101
 114
 107
 94
 101


 Females
 Total
 228
 211
 204
 241
 223


 
 under 15
 3
 3
 5
 1
 2


 
 15 - 29
 48
 39
 42
 42
 44


 
 30 - 44
 68
 72
 69
 90
 67


 
 45 - 59
 46
 49
 49
 54
 54


 
 60 and over
 63
 48
 39
 54
 56

Teacher Training

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many institutions offer teacher training in classics.

Peter Peacock: Strathclyde University is the only institution that offers teacher training in classics.

Teacher Training

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many classics teacher training places will be available in 2004-05.

Peter Peacock: There will be no classics teacher training places available in 2004-05. Strathclyde University have suspended the course because there is very low demand for classics teachers. It is the University’s intention to offer the course again in 2005-06.

Teacher Training

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a requirement for a minimum number of classics teacher training places to be offered each year.

Peter Peacock: No. It is expected that Higher Education Institutions run teacher training courses that reflect the demand for specific subject specialists from education authorities.

Tourism

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what contractual provisions in respect of marketing (a) each area tourist board and (b) VisitScotland have entered into in each year from 1999 to 2004, detailing how long these contracts have left to run.

Mr Frank McAveety: This is entirely an operational matter for VisitScotland and the individual area tourist boards.

Transport

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been given under the Rural Transport Fund to Scottish Borders Council in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03, broken down by project.

Nicol Stephen: The Rural Transport Fund comprises three elements: the Rural Community Transport Initiative (RCTI), the Rural Petrol Stations Grant Scheme (RPSGS) and the Rural Public Passenger Transport Grant Scheme (RPPTGS). Scottish Borders Council received no funding under RCTI or RPSGS, but received RPPTG of £0.158 million in 1999-2000, £0.167 million in 2000-2001, £0.193 million in 2001-02 and £0.212 million in 2002-03. Councils are free to spend these funds as they see fit. The following tables show Scottish Borders Council’s distribution of these funds in 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02. The Council has yet to provide data for 2002-03. We shall continue to pursue the Council and provide the missing information separately as soon as it is received.

  Rural Public Passenger Transport Grant 1999-2000 Scottish Borders Council Expenditure

  

 Route
 Amount


 Service 67: Kelso - Galashiels/Galashiels 
  - St Boswells
 £47,290


 Service 30: St Boswells & 
  Lauderdale to Edinburgh
 £0


 Service 73: Selkirk - Galashiels
 £2,548


 Service 102: Peebles - West 
  Linton-Edinburgh
 £25,052


 Service 223: Yetholm - Kelso-Coldstream-Berwick
 £4,383


 Service 67: Kelso - Galashiels 
  (evening service)
 £6,566


 Service 7:3 Selkirk-Galashiels 
  (evening service)
 £3,388


 Service 92: Peebles - West 
  Lothian
 £2,804


 Service 60: Berwick - Duns
 £479


 Services 23/67: Berwick - Kelso/Kelso 
  - Galashiels
 £12,676


 Service 64: Kelso - Roxburgh 
  - St Boswells
 £2,816


 Service 37: Chirnside - Ayton 
  - Eyemouth
 £12,865


 Service 31: Selkirk - Edinburgh/Edinburgh 
  - Newcastle
 £24,850


 Service 195: Galashiels - Carlisle
 £12,000


 Service 114: Jedburgh - Bonchester 
  Bridge - Hawick
 £2,901


 Service 174: Ettrick-Selkirk
 £2,109


 Ettrick-Ettrickbridge (community 
  bus route)
 £1,202


 Service 130: Moffat - Yarrow-Galashiels
 £6,365


 Kelso - Coldstream - Wooler 
  - Newcastle
 £2,881



Total
 £173,175



  Rural Public Passenger Transport Grant 2000-2001 Scottish Borders Council Expenditure

  

 Route
 Amount


 Service 67 Kelso - Galashiels/Galashiels 
  - St Boswells
 £41,779


 Service 30 St Boswells & 
  Lauderdale to Edinburgh
 £16,311


 Service 73 Selkirk - Galashiels
 £3,060


 Service 102 Peebles - West 
  Linton - Edinburgh
 £33,378


 Service 223 Yetholm - Kelso 
  - Coldstream - Berwick
 £4,548


 Service 67 Kelso - Galashiels
 £6,697


 Service 73 Selkirk - Galashiels
 £3,456


 Service 67 Kelso - Galashiels
 £4,841


 Service 20 Kelso - Jedburgh 
  - Hawick
 £4,189


 Service 37 Chirnside - Ayton 
  - Eyemouth
 £15,907


 Service 31 Selkirk - Edinburgh/Edinburgh 
  - Newcastle
 £14,535


 Service 195 Galashiels - Carlisle
 £12,240


 Service 61 Earlston - Galashiels
 £2,555


 Service 174 Ettrick - Selkirk
 £5,565


 Ettrick-Ettrickbridge (community 
  bus route)
 £1,065


 Service 130 Moffat - Yarrow 
  - Galashiels
 £6,365


 Kelso - Coldstream - Wooler 
  - Newcastle
 £2,938


 Defecit brought forward from 
  previous year
 £15,175


 Total
 £194,604



  Rural Public Passenger Transport Grant 2001-2002 Scottish Borders Council Expenditure

  

 Route
 Amount


 Service 61 Earlston - Galashiels
 £2,800


 Service 67 Kelso - Galashiels
 £6,878


 Service 67 Kelso - Galashiels
 £4,972


 Service 73 Selkirk Galashiels 
  (Sunday service)
 £2,669


 Service 73 Selkirk - Galashiels 
  
 £3,549


 Service 195 Galashiels - Carlisle
 £35,573


 Service 102 Peebles - West 
  Linton - Edinburgh 
 £64,797


 Service 102 Peebles - West 
  Linton
 £13,200


 Service 223 Yetholm - Kelso 
  - Coldstream - Berwick (to 30/7/01)
 £1,732


 Service 20 Kelso - Jedburgh 
  - Hawick
 £1,588


 Service 223 Yetholm - Kelso 
  - Coldstream - Berwick (from 30/7/01)
 £3,465


 Service 37 Chirnside - Ayton 
  - Eyemouth
 £18,537


 Service 31 Selkirk - Edinburgh/Edinburgh 
  - Newcastle
 £16,425


 Service 67 Kelso - Galashiels/Galashiels 
  - St Boswells
 £11,375


 Service 31 Selkirk - Edinburgh/Edinburgh 
  - Newcastle
 £6,532


 Service 195 Galashiels - Carlisle
 £7,911


 Service 174 Ettrick - Selkirk
 £12,979


 Ettrick-Ettrickbridge (community 
  bus service)
 £1,003


 Service 130 Moffat - Yarrow 
  - Galashiels
 £5,243


 Kelso-Coldstream - Wooler - 
  Newcastle
 £2,938


 Capital expenditure (Footway 
  between Fountainhall and bus stops on A7)
 £12,500


 Defecit brought forward from 
  previous year
 £27,604


 Total
 £266,270

Transport

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors local authority funding for the provision of purchased bus services.

Nicol Stephen: The provision of local supported bus services is a matter for local authorities which receive funding for such services by means of formula allocation from the Executive. The provision of supported bus services is covered by normal public procurement and accountability rules. The Scottish Executive requires authorities to provide periodic financial returns on supported bus services.

Voluntary Sector

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations will receive funding from the unified voluntary sector funds and what the nature is of the projects involved.

Euan Robson: The Children, Young People and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund is available to assist national voluntary organisations and innovative local projects working with children, young people and families. A copy of the grant guide, including priorities for the fund, and a list of organisations approved funding for 2004-05 has been placed in the Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 31262).

Waste Management

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5144 by Allan Wilson on 21 January 2004, whether small waste oil burners used to heat schools, local halls and any other public or local authority facilities do not require to comply with the Waste Incineration (Scotland) Regulations 2003 on the same basis as private houses, given that they are similarly not being used for commercial activity.

Allan Wilson: The Waste Incineration (Scotland) Regulations 2003 implement the Waste Incineration Directive through the existing Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) regime. In the Executive’s view, the PPC regime does not extend to domestic activities and, consequently, small waste oil burners used to heat homes do not require to comply with the Waste Incineration (Scotland) Regulations. However, non-domestic activities, including non-commercial activities, fall within the scope of the PPC regime and, accordingly, require to comply with the provisions of the 2003 Regulations. It is, of course, ultimately for the courts to interpret the provisions of regulations.

Wildlife

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to protect the red squirrel.

Allan Wilson: In partnership with other organisations, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Forestry Commission launched the "Scottish Strategy for Red Squirrel Conservation" on 18 February 2004. This identifies specific actions to address threats such as the effect of grey squirrels, changes to woodland habitats, the spread of disease, and predation by other species, upon the red squirrel population in Scotland.

  This work will assist the implementation of the UK Red Squirrel Species Action Plan in Scotland.

  The red squirrel is fully protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1918. The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Bill, currently being considered by Parliament, contains additional significant measures to improve protection for Scotland’s wildlife.

Wildlife

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to limit the activities of the American grey squirrel.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is looking to the "Scottish Strategy for Red Squirrel Conservation", published on 18 February 2004 and jointly chaired by Scottish Natural Heritage and the Forestry Commission, to address the impact of grey squirrels on the red squirrel population in Scotland. This work will include the monitoring of the spread of diseases in both red and grey squirrels, and changes in forestry practices to assist the red squirrel population.

  The grey squirrel is listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is prohibited from further release into the wild.

Wildlife

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the relevant authorities in England and Wales in respect of the preservation of the red squirrel.

Allan Wilson: My officials are in regular contact with staff in defra and the Welsh Assembly Government on a number of species related matters, including red squirrels. Defra officials are fully aware of last month’s launch of the "Scottish Strategy for Red Squirrel Conservation".

Wildlife

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of reports that the greatest threat to the native red squirrel is the American grey squirrel.

Allan Wilson: Research has shown that competition from grey squirrels is considered to be the primary threat to Scotland’s red squirrel population. Other factors such as changes in woodland habitats, the spread of disease and predation by other species also contribute to the decline of red squirrels in Scotland.

  Action to address these issues is being taken forward in a partnership led by Scottish Natural Heritage and the Forestry Commission, through the "Scottish Strategy for Red Squirrel Conservation", launched on 18 February 2004.